President's Message-Fall 2021

Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year! Did you ever imagine we would still be managing a pandemic in Fall 2021 when we first closed our school doors in March 2020 due to COVID-19? At times, it is still surreal to me, but it has shown me that our profession is filled with many compassionate and resilient school psychologists! I hope that you all have had time over the summer months for rest and relaxation.

We are excited to partner again with the Illinois School Psychologist Association (ISPA) to provide a two-day virtual conference. The conference will be held on two Fridays, October 15th and October 22nd, with four speakers each day. We expect it to be another informative and engaging conference! Keep an eye on our website for more details. 

Long Range Planning (LRP) was a success even as we engaged in unchartered territory. WSPA was able to offer in-person and virtual options for those attending LRP. The two days were packed full with training from NASP, break-out groups, developing our Strategic Plan for 2025, and our board meeting. WSPA will continue to focus on our three program areas: Advocacy, Professional Development, and Member Services and prioritize all goals and actions through a social justice lens. Our 2025 Strategic Plan will be voted on and approved during our Fall board meeting in October. Thank you all who attended and participated, and helped make LRP a success this year! Look for the updated plan on our website in late October.  And finally, speaking of our website, WSPA’s website will be getting a facelift this year to include more relevant and user-friendly information. We hope that you will find it easier to navigate and full of valuable resources and information.